


Fresh Hell

by swanofmischief



Category: Hollywood U: Rising Stars
Genre: F/M, Gen, Rating will go up later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-18 02:50:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3553301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanofmischief/pseuds/swanofmischief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Why does this keep happening to us?!"<br/>"You said it yourself, Professor. I'm cursed."<br/>------------------------------------------<br/>After the events of 'The Reluctant Professor' leave Thomas and Swan at a bit of a crossroads, they both try to move on with their individual lives. Unfortunately, it seems fate has other plans, and the pair of them keep finding themselves in intimate situations. Will they eventually give in to their mutual attraction? Or will their natural magnetism just serve to repel one another?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Apology

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr, you can find it on my blog here: swanofmischief.tumblr.com/post/113583995002/  
> I got inspired, which is never a good thing. So now a large amount of my focus and energy is on this, and I just pray it lasts. Enjoy!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say it's better to beg forgiveness than permission. They never mention just how hard it can be to apologize, especially for following your heart in the wrong direction.

Students filed out of the last class for the week, already excitedly describing their newest projects and weekend plans, filling the lecture room with their laughter and chatter. In the front row, one student was packing her notes away more slowly than the others, watching her classmates and waiting for them to clear out of the room.  
“You coming, Swan?” Addison tossed her hair over one shoulder so it wouldn’t be caught under the strap of her book bag as she swung it on, her voice startling the director from her thoughts.

“Yeah, yeah,” the pink-haired young woman nodded and offered her friend a small smile, trying to hide the nerves and nausea she felt mixing in her stomach. “I’ll catch up to you, okay?” Addison was about to reply, but her attention was quickly caught by her roommate, a makeup artist, who dragged her to the door urgently, saying she needed to test a new idea out on someone. Addison and Swan exchanged looks, and the latter shrugged, offering her friend an ‘it’s alright’ grin. The din died down as the last few students trailed from the room.

Swan headed to the front of the hall, waiting behind a meek looking wardrobe student who was asking the professor a question. When they were finished, and the young man left the room in a hurry, writing down a note on his arm, the young director approached the desk.

“Oh, good God,” Hunt grumbled, turning away from her and trying to gather up his own papers. “What is it?” He looked around, and Swan noticed his expression tighten when he realized there was no one else left in the room.

“I wanted to talk,” Swan blurted out, before her nerve failed her. Hunt blinked, but then scowled and looked sharply away from her. He almost aggressively snapped his laptop shut, unplugging it with ferocity, and shoving it into his bag.

“I don’t have the time to talk to you, Swan.”

“No- I… I didn’t want to talk so much as I wanted to… say something.” Hunt lifted an eyebrow, and made a point of checking his phone, spending several full seconds looking at the display. He finally frowned and looked back at the student. His steel gray eyes betrayed nothing, and regarded her icily.

“Make it brief. I’m meeting a very important producer for drinks later.” Swan let out her breath, and then squared her shoulders, trying to remember everything she had rehearsed in the bathroom mirror that morning.

“Professor- Thomas… I’m sorry,” she began. Hunt looked surprised by this, his brow raising as he gazed at her, but he quickly collected himself, forging his expression back into a hard mask of indifference. Swan swallowed hard and forced herself to continue. “I’m sorry about… everything, lately. The… the masquerade, and especially what happened while we were trapped on set. I was… Well, I was selfish. I was stupid.

“I was pushy, and rude, and I… I’ve been thinking about it, and I feel like I might have made you more uncomfortable than I meant to. I mean, I never meant to make you uncomfortable, of course, I just mean that…” She paused and sighed, his cold stare making her feel even more nervous than before. “Sometimes I have a hard time… expressing myself. I was trying to joke with you, and I think some of the things I may have said came across as serious… I’m not as funny as I like to think, and I know not many people really get my sense of humor sometimes. And I came off as a jerk.

“I was just… I was nervous. After the masquerade, I was confused, and conflicted, and I just… wanted answers. And I think I was so concerned with how you felt that I forgot to really think about… well, how you felt. And I’m sorry. I never meant for you to feel like I was manipulating you, or pushing you into a corner and making you do something you didn’t want to. I respect you, and I… I admire you, too. And I do have feelings for you. And I let my feelings make me do and say things I shouldn’t have.” Hunt’s eyes dropped to his phone as it buzzed, and Swan quickly doubled the pace of her words as he lifted it and began to reply to the text.

“And I know I’m not being brief, but I just also wanted to say that I know we can’t be anything serious. I understand your position, and my position. And I can respect your boundaries, even if I haven’t given much evidence of that so far. I know you’re my professor, and I’m your student, and so we could never have some crazy, sweeping Hollywood fairytale. And I don’t want that.” The professor looked up at that, his face still expressionless, but with a slight crease in his brow.

“If I did, gods know I could just ride off into the sunset with Chris Winters. He’s obsessed with- sorry. What I mean is… my feelings for you are real. And because they’re real, I don’t want to let this go. Whatever this is. And I don’t think it’s fair for us to assume we have to be everything or nothing. I don’t think we have to either make out in public or completely ignore one another outside of class.” Her voice took on more confidence as she stopped her gestures and set one hand on the desk, fingers brushing his. Hunt didn’t pull away, but he also tensed visibly, so she folded her hand back and pulled it to her side.

“I do have feelings for you, beyond a schoolgirl crush. And that means I want to be near you, spend time with you. And I was an idiot for thinking that meant we had to do it so… overtly. I can respect that you want to be professional, and draw a line. But surely that doesn’t mean we can’t be friendly, at least a little. It’s not that I don’t like our banter, because I do, I just… anyways, I am sorry. I’m a selfish, romantically inept idiot, and I’m sorry.”

Silence hung between them, heavy and stifling for the young woman, who could feel herself shaking, knees trembling under her, as she wondered if she said everything right, if there was something she should add, or amend. Hunt regarded her, and she could see something soft in his gaze. Then his phone buzzed again and it was gone as he lifted it.

“Is that all?”

“Y-Yes, Professor Hunt. Have a good weekend.” Swan felt her heart plummet as he ignored her apology, but she supposed she could understand his reluctance to accept it. She turned, and walked out of the room, clenching her teeth to have something besides the stinging of her eyes to focus on. The door closed loudly behind her, and Thomas Hunt exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he dropped back into the chair behind the desk, closing his eyes.

“Damn it.”


	2. Make Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ethan plays the part of agent and finds Swan a new distraction- I mean opportunity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Tommy boy in this chapter. Just setting up some of the plot. But we do get to see some action from other characters!

“What’s this?” Swan asked, picking up Ethan’s phone as he slid it to her across the table. The mobile version of whatever website he was trying to show her wasn’t very well constructed, so she had to scroll to read the title of the page in full.

“Your next opportunity to get your name out there,” Ethan answered proudly, watching the director’s face closely for a reaction.

“My name’s already out there,” Swan pouted slightly, and then looked up at her friend and passed him his phone back. “And besides, I’ve never even heard of that film festival.” 

“That’s because it’s brand new,” Ethan explained excitedly. Addison leaned over to see his phone. She gave Ethan a look and took it from him, typing the address of the festival into her computer so they could look at the site more easily. “Imagine being the very first winner of a brand new film festival.”

“I dunno, Ethan,” Swan sighed. “I haven’t had a ton of time lately to work on actual projects for school, let alone make anything for myself.” He gave her a skeptical look.

“And what are you doing right now? Aha!” He leaned around and caught a glimpse of her computer screen before she could switch tabs. “Reading fanfiction. Really busy, I see.”  
Swan reached over and swatted his shoulder.

“It’s the new chapter of one I’ve been reading for awhile. I took a small break from my paper to read it is all. I have been swamped.” 

“Actually, I think Ethan may be on to something,” Addison finally interjected. She turned her computer around to give Swan a look at the festival’s website. “The prize for first place is twenty grand. And a chance to have your film shown at select theatres. It’s not as life changing as some of the things you’ve done, but it’s still worth it to enter.”

“Actually, that is pretty impressive,” Swan admitted. She chewed her lip in thought and finally sighed. “I’ll take a look at it later, myself, and see if I can figure something out, and maybe get a few people together to help out.” 

“I can understand being hesitant about something new like this, and being busy, but prizes aside, I’ve got a good feeling about this,” Ethan spoke excitedly, glad that both Addison and Swan seemed to be on his page, and wanting to keep them there. “If you’re the first big winner, you set the bar for every year after.”

“And everyone will try to outdo me.”

“Everyone will try. Of course, they won’t come close”

“Flattering, but like I said, I have to think about it and work out my schedule.” Ethan held up his hands in mock surrender, smiling brightly.

“I’m not trying to push. I’m just saying it’d be worth a shot. And as your agent it’s my job to find-”

“Any and every opportunity that presents itself,” Swan and Addison interrupted in unison, then dissolved into laughter. Ethan looked alarmed for a moment, unsure if he should be offended or not, but finally decided to laugh along with them.

“I know, I know,” Swan replied through her giggles. “And I really do appreciate it.” 

"You can always film something over Spring break," Addison suggested, recovering and scrolling through the website. "The deadline is May 12th, so you have quite a bit of time."

"Just do something low budget," Ethan suggested. "An indie movie, a found footage film, or something like that. Simple and easy." Swan held up a finger, her eyes alight, and Ethan's grin widened as he realized he had tapped a creative spark. 

"Ethan, you're a genius," Swan complimented, and quickly dug around in her bag for a notebook and pencil. She flipped halfway through and found a blank page, beginning to scrawl out notes. "Found footage won't take any special effects, and only minimal editing. And since most are horror movies, no one would expect it to be a romance. I throw in a compelling subplot or two, and a tragic ending, and I may have myself a win. And it'll all look like it's filmed on a cellphone." 

"Snapshots into the lives of the couple," Addison suggested excitedly, watching Swan's pencil fly across her page. "And the audience has to fill in the blanks in between-"

"And draw their own conclusions-" Ethan interjected eagerly.

"So everyone has a slightly different experience watching the film!" Swan concluded with barely contained glee, almost able to taste her victory. "It just has to still make sense."

“Of course,” Ethan added with a nod. “But surely you’re smart enough to pull that off.”

“Did you break something in my dorm?” Swan asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow. “Compliments, finding really great festivals...”

“I’m just in a good mood,” the agent replied with a shrug.

“Fair enough.”

“So, d’you think you’ll be able to find the time to make the film?” Addison asked, returning to the paper she was typing up.

“This is a golden opportunity. And I'm inspired." Swan grinned. "I’ll make time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, no, the 'snapshot' thing is not how the story will progress. It's a stellar idea, but this is just gonna be a regular, linear story. :) Just in case someone was wondering.


	3. Parallels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She couldn't stand the way her professor had gotten under her skin, and she wished she could hate him. Then maybe she wouldn't think about him every time a sad song came on the radio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh this chapter is really just me satisfying my craving for angst and describing emotional turmoil. Next chapter is when we get into plot. And while I'm mentally plotting out the rest of this, I should say chapters will probably start to get longer and longer. Enjoy!

Ethan lived in the same dorm building as Swan, and just down the hall, so after going out for a bite to eat with Addison, they headed back to campus and walked home together. They parted, laughing, but the second the door closed behind the young director, she was alone in a silence so pervasive it made her ears ring. The smile slid off her face. Most students were still out, what with it being just after eight on Friday night, so the hallway outside was still, and there was no music coming through any of the walls. 

Swan’s forehead rested against her door as she listened to the enveloping quiet. She had had fun discussing ideas for her film with her friends, and her head was buzzing with plans for it. But there had been a nagging thought chewing on her mind all evening, and her thoughts had continually wandered to Thomas Hunt, and his steely gaze, his voice like a cold knife.

_Is that all?_

“No, Professor,” Swan grumbled under her breath, hanging up her keys on the hook by the door, and then kicking off her shoes with a little more force than was really necessary. One hit the wall, punctuating the stab of pain she felt in her chest. “It’s not all. I also wanted to tell you that you’re a dick, and you talk in your sleep, and your jawline is _not_ as incredible as everyone says it is.” She hung up her coat and reached under her shirt to unhook her bra, still muttering bitterly to herself.

“And really, you can push us and _not_ be a jerk about it. And what the hell kind of world do you live in where it’s okay to completely ignore someone instead of talking about your disagreements?” She paused at this, realizing that she was being rather hypocritical with that last point. She usually avoided her emotional issues altogether, though as of late she had been taking them head on... Luckily no one could actually hear her, she thought, tossing her bra onto her bed and heading back to the main part of the dorm. 

With a huff, Swan dropped onto the couch, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyelids and rubbing them gently. This was so _stupid_. She hadn’t picked everything up and moved two states away from home to chase after a man. She did it to chase after her dream; her destiny, if she could be so bold. She couldn’t stand the way her professor had gotten under her skin, and she wished she could hate him.

Then maybe she wouldn’t think about him every time a sad song came on the radio. Or every time she opened her closet to get ready in the morning, and saw the blue dress she’d worn to the masquerade, which had matched his outfit perfectly. Or when she was trying to sleep and nearly ached with missing the way his arm had been so tightly around her waist, holding her as if she was his lifeline. Maybe then she wouldn’t chew herself up for hours after every interaction with him, wishing she’d said or done something differently. Wishing she could have made him smile. Wanting to make him proud, happy. Wanting him.

Swan cursed and threw herself back, laying sprawled on the couch and tugging at her hair. She stared at the ceiling and released a steady stream of profanity from between her clenched teeth, and was surprised to find that it was actually helping her feel better. Once it no longer felt as though her chest was being stood upon by an elephant, and she could breathe easy, she sat up slowly and then dragged herself off to the bathroom for a shower. She could feel sorry for herself all night, if she wanted to, or she could bathe, change into warm pajamas, work on her movie, and go to bed early. That sounded much more appealing. 

\------------------------------

Thomas Hunt stumbled into his apartment just before midnight, dropping his keys into the glass bowl by the door, which he shut and leaned against. He had probably had one too many drinks over the past few hours, and he was exhausted, and just glad he had driven home without incident. He hated, no, _loathed_ driving after a night of drinking, for moral reasons as well as inconvenience, but his cellphone- which he pulled from his pocket and set beside the key bowl- hadn’t been charged, and so he couldn’t call for a cab. Nor was he about to leave his sports car outside of the bar. If you could call it that.

The exclusive establishment had been filled with the very wealthy and talented, those able to wave away usual rules with a wave of any bill in their pocket. Thomas knew his hair probably reeked from his company’s cigar smoke, and fumes of the absurdly expensive whiskey he’d been drinking hung on his breath. He needed a shower, before anything else, but for now he was content to just lean against his door and be home. 

Thomas took a moment to stare across his living room at the large windows that took up most of the opposite wall. The lights of the city glistened out to the horizon, and Hunt could remember clearly the first night he’d spent in LA, gazing out at the bustling metropolis in youthful awe and excitement. Now, his lips curled into a small smirk at his younger self’s boundless enthusiasm and optimism. 

Shaking his head, the professor pushed himself off his front door finally, and locked it before loosening his tie, and sitting on the nearest chair to remove his shoes. As he pulled them off and set them neatly by the door, his mind wandered back to what had happened in his classroom at the end of the day. His heart- the traitor- skipped a beat and then restarted in double time as he recalled Swan walking up to his desk. 

_I’m a selfish, romantically inept idiot, and I’m sorry._

“Yes,” Thomas muttered, shrugging off his suit jacket and folding it over his arm. He got to his feet and headed to his bedroom. “You absolutely are an idiot. You’re naive, and impetuous, and stubborn, and you toss around in your sleep like a ragdoll.” 

Hunt slid open his closet doors and hung his jacket up on its empty hanger, giving the sleeve a quick sniff to make sure the stink of cigars hadn’t set into it. It was fine, so he headed to the nook in the hall where his washer and dryer were housed, and stripped out of the rest of his clothing, tossing his socks, shirt, and boxer briefs in the washer, and dropping his tie and slacks into the basket to be washed with the dark clothes. 

“And furthermore,” Hunt grumbled as he headed into the bathroom, rubbing at his tired eyes. “You make it impossible for me to just make up my damn mind about you, and it’s annoying. Either be an obnoxious brat, or a mature and respectful young woman.” He turned on the shower and heaved a sigh. “And why am I talking to you, anyways? It’s not like you can even hear me...”

He scowled at the disappointment in his own voice, and stepped under the shower head, the cold water clearing some of the haze in his mind. Hunt inhaled sharply at the frigid spray, but it soon began to warm, and he reached for his shampoo. He had _dozens_ of students in every class, and yet every damn night he kept thinking about just one. Swan occupied far too many of his thoughts, and he despised her for it.

He despised the way she made his heart want to leap out of his chest when she had the gall to smirk or smile at something he said. Hunt resented her laughter, and the way it made his stomach flip to hear, and how he wished he could be the one to bring it forth. He detested her wit and the way she would meet his criticisms and snide remarks, matching him at at every word like they were fencing. He abhorred the fact that the jacket he’d given to keep her warm on the cold movie set still smelled of her, and he hated even more that he still hadn’t worn or washed it. But above all, Thomas Hunt absolutely loathed the way he would lay in bed at night and remember how she felt curled up in his arms, the warmth of her body against his own, and the way he could still taste her lips on his if he thought too hard about it. 

He rinsed the soap from his hair and sighed. Swan was his least favorite person in the entire, miserable world. At least he’d have the weekend to be away from her, and think over her apology in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm going to be hard-core plotting the rest of the chapters, or at least the next few, so chapter 4 may take a few more days to come out, but I have a vague direction I plan to go in. :)


	4. And Forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which things get complicated.

_I’ll forgive her._

The decision wasn’t made until Hunt took his seat behind his desk on Monday morning, loading up his lecture notes on his computer. He had considered her words carefully over the weekend, trying to find any evidence of insincerity. But, eventually, Thomas decided she had meant what she said, and would respect the lines he drew. He watched the door out of the corner of his eye, waiting to see the bright beacon of pink hair enter the classroom and herald the arrival of his least favorite human being. It didn’t appear.

When his computer displayed that it was time for class to begin, Thomas frowned. He hadn’t seen the eye-catching spot of nearly fluorescent magenta, and turned to look at the door as the last few students trailed in. No Swan.

He felt a pang of concern, in spite of himself. She was not one to be late, after he had yelled at her on her first day. She had always been early, in fact... Hunt looked to Swan’s usual seat, between Addison Sinclair and Ethan Blake. And he found her looking back. Only now he understood why he had not noticed her shockingly colored hair when she entered. It was now a purplish-black, some stray, stubborn strands of pink catching the light, but otherwise entirely dark and muted. She offered him a smirk, her eyes dancing mischievously, before opening her laptop to take notes.

Hunt realized his mouth was open slightly, and he snapped it shut immediately, internally kicking himself over his reaction. She seemed amused by his initial expression, which he shifted into his usual frown. What did he care what one of his students did with her hair, anyways? It certainly wasn’t any of his business, and this new color suited her well enough. Though the obnoxious shade of pink had been an awfully accurate mirror of her personality.

_Stop thinking about her! You have a class to teach,_ Hunt mentally scolded himself, getting to his feet. The buzz of conversation faded and died out within seconds of his standing up, and was immediately replaced by the noises of students settling into their seats and making sure they were prepared to take notes. Thomas took a breath, giving them half a second more, before he launched into today’s topic. It was a continuation of where they had left off on Friday, on historical costuming, and moving into experimental costume designs and aesthetics.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Of course,” Hunt was saying halfway through his lecture, “for movies set in futuristic landscapes, we have to make assumptions. We can look at what our predecessors thought would be the height of fashion in the future, and find it completely ridiculous. But it can also be worthwhile to understand why these are the styles they imagined.”

Swan had her chin resting in her right hand as she tapped her pencil against the page in her left, watching Hunt with a slightly glazed look. She was fascinated by the topic- though not quite so much as Addison, whose pen was moving so quickly along to the professor’s lecture that Swan was surprised it didn’t catch fire- but she had had little sleep that weekend, working on projects for classes to free up time to work on her new film. Ethan, on the other hand, appeared to be completely zoning out, his fingers tapping his desk softly, like he was typing on an invisible calculator.

She leaned more heavily on her hand and sighed quietly as she resumed her own note-taking, but suddenly her chin popped off her palm and she tensed, as her phone vibrated in her pocket. Hunt’s eyes flickered to her at the movement, but she didn’t notice. Swan looked around the room as the professor turned his back to hit the next slide of his presentation. Every one who usually texted her was in the class, or, she knew, busy. Worried it could be an emergency, she did her best to pull the phone from her pocket as inconspicuously as possible.

Someone in the back asked a question, and Swan took the opportunity to check who had messaged her. Her eyes widened, and she gasped aloud without meaning to. A few people looked at her, including Hunt, who gave her his usual scowl.

“Something to share, Swan?” He asked icily.

“N-no, Professor.” Swan hid her phone under her desk, feeling her pulse picking up speed.

_Why is he texting me? I haven’t spoken to him since High School..._

“You gasped.”

“My lead broke,” she lied, clicking her mechanical pencil. “N-nearly hit my eye... Sorry to interrupt.”

“Hmph. As I was saying, if we look at what is widely considered to be the first film in the genre of science fiction...” Thomas resumed his lecture, though he could tell Swan was lying. It’s none of your business, he reminded himself sharply.

The rest of the period passed as usual, Swan flinching only twice more as her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she knew it was him texting. Her stomach flopped and she felt a little ill. Finally, Hunt dismissed the class.

“Swan, I did want to have a word with you,” he added, before the noise of everyone packing up drowned him out. Addison gave her friend a small nudge. 

“Ooh, Professor Hunt wants a ‘word’ with you?” She teased, clearly implying that the professor wanted something else entirely. Swan rolled her eyes a little, but was gracious enough to smile.

“Oh, please, Addi,” she replied, gathering her things into her bag and trying not to think about her phone as it buzzed again. “He probably wants to yell at me about the dangers of pencil lead.”

“Suuuure,” Addison said, but headed for the door after Ethan, who already had his phone out and was furiously texting. “We’ll wait in the hall.” Swan nodded and headed up to Hunt’s desk, taking her time. He finished getting himself set up for the next class, and looked up at her when the room was empty. They would have maybe fifteen minutes tops before anyone came in, so he knew he would have to speak quickly.

Silence for a moment, and then-

“Your hair looks... nice.” _What the fuck, Thomas?_

“Oh... thank you.” _What the fuck, Professor?_

Silence again, and then-

“Is that all?” It came out with more bite than Swan had hoped, and she inwardly winced. Hunt’s shoulders tensed visibly, and his lips pressed into a hard line.

“No, actually,” he replied, voice a little clipped. “I was going to invite you out to a lovely romantic dinner and a walk along the beach.” Usually, Swan’s flustered and surprised expression made his sarcastic remarks worth it, but this time she merely lifted an eyebrow.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to decline, Professor Hunt. I have quite a lot on my-” her pocket buzzed, “-plate...” She pulled out her phone, it’s bright pink case no longer matching her appearance. She frowned at the screen, and Thomas resisted the urge to lean over and see who had contacted her. Swan shoved it back in her pocket and took a half step away from his desk.

“I would also like to speak to you about your apology,” Hunt added, hoping his voice sounded calm when he said it.

“Oh.” Swan blinked, her hands wringing the strap of her book bag. “Alright.”

“I am... inclined to accept it,” Thomas continued, looking down at his desk and moving a few things around needlessly. “And offer my forgiveness.”

“But...?” Swan hazarded a guess that there was more, though her heart leaped a little.

“But,” Hunt’s tone carried agreement, and his cool gray eyes met her jade ones, expression serious. “I expect our relationship from here on out to be strictly that of a professor and student. No matter what you or I feel, I will not risk both of our careers for the sake of some silly infatuation.” Swan’s expression darkened, and he continued steadily before she could argue with him.

“We will conduct ourselves as we always have, and any interactions we have outside of the classroom will be professional, no exceptions. And inside the classroom, as well,” he added, noticing a spark in her gaze. “Do you agree to this?” Swan took a moment, looking down at her shoes for a long while, before sighing and nodding once.

“Alright. That’s fair,” she replied quietly. The disappointment was heavy in her voice. Thomas felt a pang of... something, but swallowed it back. A lock of hair fell over Swan’s eye as she lifted her head, and before he could think, he reached out and smoothed it back into place. His fingers lingered and then moved gently down the curve of her cheek, to her chin. Swan’s eyes searched his, and her fingers lifted to rest against his, when suddenly her phone went off, the quiet moment shattered by the chorus of Lana Del Ray’s ‘Radio.’

The young woman was startled by the sound, and pulled her phone out, then sighed, seeing it was not him calling. “It’s my mom.” She answered with a “hello,” and headed out of the classroom. Hunt watched her go, his hand still suspended in the air, the tips of his fingers warm and tingling slightly from where they had been against her skin. He folded his fingers into a fist, just as the first group of students for his next class entered the room.

Thomas released a shaking breath and shook his head to clear it, before checking over his notes and trying to get back into the right state of mind to teach. How could he expect Swan to uphold his deal, if he couldn’t even keep his hands to himself for five minutes? _Silly infatuation,_ Thomas reminded himself, but he wasn’t sure he believed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah! Actual back and forth Swan/Hunt interaction! And mysterious strangers from the past! But more on all of that nonsense later, yes?


	5. Communication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Who was that?”  
> “Someone from back home.”

Swan was relieved that she had a free period- one she usually used to nap after her early class- on Mondays, and finally was able to hang up from talking to her family when she reached her usual table in the student lounge. Honestly, she could use a nap after her weekend, but now she felt too energized to sleep. Her cheek was still prickling from the ghost of Hunt’s touch.

What the hell had that been about? He was _just_ telling her that they were going to have a strictly professional relationship and then- Swan sighed and sunk down into her seat, one hand absently brushing her cheek. _It didn’t mean anything_ , she told herself, and for the first time, she believed it.

Swan knew Addison had this period free as well, but her friend was getting them food before joining her. Swan usually got their snacks, but she was glad for this moment of solitude, and pulled out her phone to look through her messages, her heart pounding like a drum. At least it wasn’t Hunt that was making her feel this way, she thought, trying to comfort herself in vain.

**Swan, how are you?** Swan sighed, shaking her head slightly at the first message. Well, that was one way to start a conversation with someone after almost two years.

**I apologize for texting out of the blue like this.** “I’m sure,” she muttered dryly, and continued to scroll.

**Are you busy now? Am I interrupting?**

**Please don’t ignore me. Text me when you get the chance.**

**I really want to talk to you. I’m in LA.** Swan froze at the last message, her heart skipping a beat. He was in L.A.? Fingers trembling, Swan hit the reply button, and texted him back.

**I’m busy all day 2day. I’ll text later & we can talk more.** Her finger hovered over ‘send,’ and it took her a moment to finally press it. She wondered if she should have said more, or less, or hell, even refused to speak to him at all.

“Alright!” Addison’s voice cut through Swan’s thoughts and she lifted her head sharply. She was carrying several paper boats from the cafeteria, and Swan set her phone down to jump up and help her friend take some of the food. “So now tell me what Professor Hunt had to say!”

Ever since Swan had told Addison about her “crush” on the professor, any and every interaction she shared with Hunt immediately became the stuff of a Jane Austen novel. As much as Swan loved Addi, she was a little glad she hadn’t told her about the Masquerade, or they’d never have a conversation about anything else. Addison, like Swan, was a hopeless romantic, even in spite of both of them having had less than pleasant relationships in the past.

“Not much,” the director answered, shrugging and returning to her seat as they set down their food. “Something for class.” Addison scoffed, and gave her friend a skeptical look.

“Right, sure. And what did he have to say about class?”

“Uh, well, I... um...”

“Mmhmm.” Addison prodded Swan’s side playfully. “Really, what did he want to say?”

“He invited me out to dinner and a walk by the seaside,” Swan replied, finally grinning. Addi crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat.

“Oh yeah? And what did you say to that?” she challenged, not believing the director’s story.

“I told him I was busy and so I’d have to pass,” Swan answered, grabbing a mozzarella stick and holding it between her teeth while she retrieved her laptop out of her bag. Addison swatted her shoulder.

“Seriously, what did he say?”

“Nothing, really. Just making sure I was paying attention. Now do you want to help me with this movie or not?” Swan changed the subject quickly, figuring it’d take too long to fill in the blanks if she opted for honesty.

“Fine.” Addison sighed dramatically, and Swan had the feeling they’d just be revisiting the topic later. Both of them set up their computers, and Swan typed in her password to unlock it, just as her phone buzzed, vibrating harshly against the table. She and Addison both looked at it in surprise, and Swan picked it up and went to her messages.

**Alright. I look forward to seeing you.** She fought the urge to scowl at the screen, and turned it back off.

“Who was that?” Addison asked absently, knowing Swan almost always replied to texts quickly.

“Someone from back home,” Swan answered as casually as she could, returning to her computer and opening her script writing software. “One of the people I went to school with.”

“It’s amazing how you still keep in touch with so many people from your hometown,” Addison remarked, opening her own computer. Swan looked up at the hint of envy in her friend’s tone. “I barely talk to a handful of people I went to high school with, and that’s just because we’re Facebook friends.”

“My school was... unusual,” Swan admitted, reaching over and giving Addison’s shoulder a squeeze. “Everyone was really close, but there are still people I don’t keep in touch with. It’s not a bad thing to lose touch with old friends.”

“I know, I know,” Addison shrugged and grabbed a couple of fries from the middle of the table. “It’s just a nice thought, you know?”

“I guess,” Swan replied. “But outside of maybe six or seven people, the most interaction I get with anyone is liking their Facebook statuses, too.” Addison made a small “hmm” sound, but then redirected the conversation.

“So, what do you have for your film so far?”

“Not much,” Swan admitted, grabbing a second mozzarella stick and turning her computer so Addison could get a better look at the screen. “I spent most of the weekend getting class work done. But I did come up with names for the main couple.”

“Hannah James and Lilith King,” Addison read, and smiled. “Another romance movie with two female leads?”

“There will never be enough properly made lesbian romance films,” Swan replied matter-of-factly. “Even with the media buzz around ‘Clash at Sunset,’ it’s always good to have more diversity in stories.”

“Absolutely,” Addison agreed. “So, any ideas for your storyline?”

“One.” Swan sighed and rubbed at her eyes. “One of them dies at the end, and the other has to go on, so the last shot is going to be filmed like a regular movie, of her sitting on the couch, and you see she’s been watching the videos that made up the rest of the movie.”

“Oh, that’s perfect!” Addison gushed. Swan cracked a smile, but shrugged modestly.

“I figured it’d be a pretty striking ending,” she replied. “But how to actually get to that ending... well... I’m stumped.”

“And that’s where I come in?”

“And that is, indeed, where you come in, my dearest friend and romantic genius,” Swan affirmed, batting her eyelashes. Addison laughed.

“Alright, fine, but I want to be credited.”

“Of course! What sort of director do you take me for?”

“Just making sure Hunt’s knack for withholding credit where it’s due hasn’t rubbed off,” Addison teased, and then added with a wicked little smile, “Or whether anything else of Hunt’s has rubbed off on you.” Swan’s face turned a vibrant shade of crimson.

“Addison!”

“ _Has_ anything of Hunt’s-”

“NO! Absolutely not!” Swan laughed, but more out of shock. “He’s our professor!”

“I guess you’re right,” Addison replied, pulling her sketchbook out of her bag. “Besides, the sexual tension the two of you have definitely hasn’t been resolved yet.”

“We do _not_ have sexual tension,” Swan protested. She really didn’t want to talk about Hunt, or any guy, right now, and so turned her attention back to her blank script.

“Sure, Swan,” Addison replied, deciding to let it go. “Alright, so what else can we work out for your story, before you actually get to writing it?”

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By the end of the school day, Swan felt extremely confident in her story’s outline, and was eager to get back to her dorm and get to work on figuring out the specifics. Once she had as strong of a script as possible, she’d feel better about asking her friends to help.

_Maybe I should text Holly_ , she mused, but then her heart sank as she remembered she was still supposed to text _him_ so they could meet up and talk. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and navigated to their conversation. She stared at it for awhile, and then sent him a quick message.

**Free 4 the evening. What’s up?** Swan shook her head slightly. There was no real reason to indulge him, but... it was nice to be back in touch, even if they hadn’t parted on the best of terms. He replied immediately.

**May I see you?** Swan scoffed. Why did he need to see her? Wasn’t texting good enough?

**Why?**

**I miss you.** He responded quickly. Swan felt her chest constrict, and she stopped walking, half way up the stairs in her dorm building. _I miss you._ They used to tell one another that every weekend and holiday, even if they had just seen each other the day before. Seeing the words on the screen again was like going back to High School all over, and Swan could almost smell the petrichor that always hung around her hometown.

**Meet me at Hollywood U. Out front, 7 pm.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooh, the mysterious figure from the past will soon be revealed! *rubs hands together* Chapter 6 may take a little while, as I'm going to be gutting and redecorating my bedroom over the next week, but it'll be up as soon as it's ready!  
> Thanks to everyone for the Kudos and Comments! Seeing them makes my day!


	6. How NOT to Handle Adult Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the evening started so nicely, too...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this post came so late!!!! I've had a really hectic few weeks!!! I started a new full time job, went to a convention, and have been busy and exhausted. I hope the next post will be faster, but I can't really make a guarantee.

Swan stood in front of her mirror and smoothed down the front of her shirt, taking a deep breath to brace herself for the evening that was to follow. It would be weird, seeing her high school boyfriend after almost two years, but she figured it would be best to just be grown ups and talk about... whatever it was he wanted to talk about. She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled on a pair of boots that would be fashionable, yet good for walking in, and gave herself another look in the mirror, pushing her hair back from her face.

“Okay. You can absolutely do this, Swan,” she told her reflection. “It’s just talking. It’s not like he’s asked you to the movies or something crazy. Just breathe. Go talk to him.” The young woman looked herself in the eye, and then nodded, and grabbed her purse. She left a note for her roommate on the counter, telling her not to wait up and to just worry about her own dinner, and then Swan headed out to meet up with her past.

When she walked up to the parking lot out front of Hollywood U, a black limousine was waiting and Swan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course he would come to L.A. and drive around in a limo. One of the back doors opened, and a tall, lanky young man in a black suit climbed out of the back. He was handsome, but almost unnaturally pale, with glinting brown eyes that bordered on a shade of maroon, and jet black hair perfectly combed away from his face.

“Swan. It’s so good to see you,” he greeted, his voice smooth and rich, and he smiled at her winningly. Swan felt her breath catch for a moment at the sight of him, but she cleared her throat and nodded a little in return.

“Royal. It’s... really good to see you, too. You’re looking... well.” She played with her fingers nervously, unsure what to say. She wanted to take in his appearance, but didn’t want to stare, and suddenly wasn’t sure what to do with her hands.

“As are you,” he replied coolly, straightening his vest and trying to continue looking composed. Swan knew him though, was a little relieved to see that he was feeling as nervous as she was. She rocked back on her heels slightly.

“So...”

“So,” Royal echoed, folding his hands behind his back.

“We should-,” Swan gestured slightly to the car.

“Yes, my- my driver’s waiting for us... Right.” Royal cleared his throat and stepped aside, opening the limo’s door for her. Swan gave a small smile and climbed into the back of the limousine, trying to ignore the way her heart was behaving like a caged bird. Royal climbed in across from her, and shut the door. The partition lowered a fraction, and he politely requested they be taken to the Santa Monica Pier.

“Huh,” Swan remarked as the partition slid back up. “That’s a surprising destination.”

“Is it?” A crease appeared in Royal’s brow, and he went to knock on the glass between them and the driver.

“I mean, I like the pier. All the best nights in Hollywood end there,” Swan assured him, then offered a more relaxed smile. “Just how you’re all dressed up, and knowing you... us, actually.... I almost expected the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.” Royal chuckled.

“I considered it,” he admitted. “But... I was just looking online at places around town, and I didn’t know if your preference for how to pass an evening has changed. I mean, now you’ve become Hollywood royalty and all.” Swan laughed, genuinely, at the comment.

“Oh, please,” she replied. “I’m far from being royalty in this town. I’m barely an amateur.”

“Well, even just getting started you must have met some... interesting people, right?”

“Ah, so _this_ is why you wanted to come and see me,” Swan teased, leaning back and crossing her arms. “So you could get me to namedrop all the famous people I’ve met.”

“Well,” Royal replied, drawing out the vowel. Swan leaned forward and lightly smacked his knee. “No, no, I did want to see you. But it would be pretty cool if my ex-girlfriend was rubbing elbows with the greats.”

“Alright, I _have_ met quite a few famous people,” Swan admitted after a second. “But I don’t like being a name dropper. That’s my agent’s job.”

“Just tell me one person, please?”

“I mean...”

“Just one.”

“Have you ever heard of Thomas Hunt?” Swan said finally, the first name on her mind. Always the first name on her mind. Royal’s eyes widened.

“Who hasn’t?” he replied, clearly impressed. “He’s done everything! Directing, acting, modeling. He’s probably the most talented-”

“He’s an ass,” Swan interrupted. “And he’s teaching now, so I have to wonder if what they say about teachers is true. You know, those who can, those who can’t.”

“I heard he was a professor at Hollywood U, I think,” Royal said, still impressed. “He has to be a hell of a teacher though, right?”

“He’s a hell of a something,” Swan replied, her cheek prickling again as she remembered his fingers on her skin. It felt nice to project disdain for her professor, anyways. Addison knew too well that Swan was fond of him, and always scoffed at any rude remarks she made, no matter how clever they were. Royal studied her expression, one corner of his mouth lifted.

“I can’t tell if you honestly dislike him, or if-”

“He’s stubborn, rude, fickle, pretentious, cynical, constantly criticizes his students, and just about anyone else he meets, and is all around a miserable, bitter person.”

“-Nevermind.” The car came to a stop, and Royal opened the door, climbing out and offering Swan his hand. She couldn’t help but smile a little as she remembered just how well-mannered he was. She took his hand and let him help her out of the car. He shut the door behind them, and bent to tell his hired driver to take the night off, and they would walk.

“Good to know I made the right choice in footwear,” Swan remarked, raising an eyebrow as she watched the car pull back into the street and drive off.

“Sorry... I can call for a cab, if you want at the end of the night?”

“That’d be nice,” Swan admitted. “L.A. is... a lot bigger than our hometown. You can’t really just walk everywhere.” They headed towards the pier and Swan shouldered her purse. “Speaking of our hometown, how is everyone?”

“They’re good,” Royal replied earnestly, offering Swan his arm. She hesitated a moment too long, and he awkwardly stuck his hands in his pockets. “Hey, you remember Kiki?”

“The... treasurer of the student government?” Swan said after a moment, trying to recall the red-head’s position. Royal nodded.

“She and I dated for awhile,” he continued. Swan felt her stomach twist, though she was unsure why. “But it just didn’t really work out, so she ended up with Hans.”

“Well, they _were_ inseparable in school,” Swan replied, fighting back a frown. It was silly to be upset about someone you’d broken up with dating someone new, especially when she’d casually gone on a few dates since coming to college. Hell, Royal wasn’t even her first boyfriend in High School. And she hadn’t minded Zach dating someone else. Of course, when she and Zach broke up, it was out of mutual agreement. She realized suddenly that Royal had asked her a question.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” she replied honestly. She was amazed that she still felt comfortable admitting to him when she wasn’t listening.

“I said I’m... kind of seeing Mia now...”

“Oh.” Mia? She didn’t really seem his type.

“And then I asked if you were dating anyone.”

“I’m not.”

“Oh.” Silence hung between them, suddenly awkward and tense. Swan adjusted her shirt’s hem.

“Mia, huh?” She finally found her voice. “That’s a surprise. It wasn’t on Facebook”

“Yeah, we’re still kind of figuring things out,”  Royal replied slowly. “It was definitely not planned, but she’s really great.”

“Well, good,” Swan said forcing a small smile. “I’m happy for you guys. Mia’s awesome.” She meant it, truly, but there was still tension between them. They had never really resolved their last fight, and the sudden talk about dating had brought it to their minds. At least, to hers.

“Yeah, she is,” Royal agreed quietly, unable to hide the fondness in his voice. Swan watched her steps as they continued, wondering if it was too early to claim a stomach ache and go back to the university. She really liked Mia, and was sad that she hadn’t talked to her in almost three months, and really she didn’t have any reason to oppose to her dating Royal.

“So there’s really no one?” Royal asked after another moment. They were walking along almost aimlessly, their feet moving slowly.

“Not really,” Swan replied, but her mind turned back to Hunt. She felt her pulse quicken, and she wondered if she should lie and describe him as a romantic interest. She felt herself wishing it was him here with her, but tried to ignore the desire. “Just some casual things, but nothing serious.” It felt like a lie.

“Well, that’s fine,” Royal said. “Must be an interesting change.”

“Yeah.”

The rest of the evening passed catching up on people from home, not really doing much of anything, and Swan telling a few stories about her time at school and around Hollywood. She ended up accidentally mentioning Lisa Valentine and Aria, and had to explain that they were friends and how nice they were, etc. After a few hours, Swan mentioned that she had class tomorrow, and needed to get home and get some sleep.

As they waited at the corner for their cab, Royal finally approached the subject she’d been dreading. “So... no regrets packing up and moving out here, then?”

“None,” Swan replied with conviction. Her shoulders tightened, though, and she looked across the street, rather than at him. “This is where I belong, and everything’s falling into place.”

“Hmm.”

“I know you didn’t agree with me leaving, but-”

“But you’re... doing what you love,” he replied. There was a strange tone to his voice, and she frowned.

“Yes, I am. I’m making art, telling stories. That’s what I’m meant to do.”

“Right. And I’m doing what I’m meant to do, back home.”

“Right.” Swan checked her phone in the uneasy quiet. “Lurking in the night and feasting on blood, right?”

“That isn’t funny,” Royal snapped suddenly, shooting her a glare. She knew how much it had bothered him when Julian had insisted he was some kind of vampire, and had done everything he could to prove it. She had brought it up to tease him before, but it really rubbed him the wrong way, and she was aware of that. “Just because I have different things back home-”

“Bullshit. You said you thought it’d be great living in Hollywood, but you didn’t come with me because you were a coward, and you thought that home was the only place you’d be accepted. You didn’t want to take a risk by moving down here with me.”

“Not all of us have a Benefactor paying for our tuition, you know,” Royal shot back. “I could never afford to live out here. I could barely afford the car I rented.”

“Maybe you should have picked something less showy.”

“When did you become such a bitch?” Swan inhaled sharply. The word stung, not just in insult, but, weirdly, she felt disappointed. What a cheap way to try and win an argument. It was a terrible time to miss Thomas Hunt, but at least he could argue effectively, and without stooping to gendered name calling.

“When I finally stopped putting everyone else’s needs over my own,” she replied as the cab rolled up and stopped. “Good night.” She climbed into the car and shut the door before he could join her.

“Hollywood University, please.” The taxi drove off, and Royal was left standing under the street light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. With the new Hunt Date out, we won't see it factor into the story for awhile. When it DOES end up happening in this story line, some of the dialogue and events will be tweaked, so I may just write out a chapter of the date and what's different from the game. It's going to be a ways down the road mainly because, from what I've seen on tumblr so far, its going to be a HUGE turning point in Hunt and Swan's relationship.
> 
> Anyways, I will definitely try to get the next chapter out within the next two weeks, hopefully within one, but no promises, I'm afraid. :\


End file.
